One 24hr period. One overdose. One patient. One partner/carer… thats me!

Standing outside Accident and Emergency in the dark with street lights glistening and the reflection of blue lights lighting up the place every now and again I couldn’t help but be reminded by the times I used to do this ‘Every night on my way home’ Only difference this time was Chris wasn’t sectioned, he wasn’t even in a psychiatric unit, in fact he wasn’t an inpatient in hospital at all, at the moment. He had taken an overdose, was mentally distressed, very tachycardic, clammy, sick and we were waiting to find out what was happening with him.

He had been seen by a doctor, who said he would have to stay in to be monitored for a few hours so he was being admitted to the Acute Medical Unit. To be honest we were told very little about what was happening, there didn’t seem to be a plan that…